Fountain pens



Sept. 8, 1959 u. LEGNANI 2,902,978

FOUNTAIN PENS Filed Nov. 29, 1956 INVENTORS Maia/"i0 [gnaw N m AMWM i mu ATTORNEY United States Patent The resent invention relates to improvements in res-- ervoir pens of the pocket ordesktype, and more specifically it relates to improved means for feeding-ink in the same.

The invention is particularly applicable to pens wherein the reservoir is of the-removable cartridge or ampule type. Such pens generally comprise a body which inpens having permanently fixed reservoirs.

able cartridge, by its verynature, eliminates the major faultfound in pens of the permanent reservoir type; wit is removed from the pen before it decomposes and 1 leaks. Other advantages provided-by the cartridge are eludes a writingtip and a barrel-adapted to house a cartridge type reservoir. The reservoir or cartridge is usually an elongated cylinder, sealed at one end, filled with ink and provided at its'other end with means for dispensing the ink to the writing tip of the pen.

The cartridge type pen is a' vast improvement over The removwell known. A user may carry-an extra supply of ink,

or ink'of a different color, on his person-with little dif ficulty, and pens do not tend to clog as a result of dirt in the reservoir, since-the cartridge is only used once and then is thrown away.

Prior to this invention, one major difficulty was evident in the use of reservoir pens andparticularly those of the cartridge'type.

There was a tendency for the pens to. feed sp-asmodically, or insome casesonly after being violently shaken.

it has been found that spasmodic feeding and faulty ink flow are directly traceable to the structure of the reservoir or cartridge. By the very nature of a pen,'the reservoir or cartridge is limited in size and shape to an elongated body, usually cylindrical ,which provides a relatively long and narrow chamber to accommodate'the ink. Due to the restricted size and shape of the conductor leading to the chamber, the

phenomena of surface tension acts to prevent the passage of airinto the chamber to replacethe ink dispensed .-therefrom. Further, the chamber functions as a capillary tube- The effect of surface tensionand capillarity is to counter the eifect of gravity, thus hindering the flow of .ink.

This inventionhasas its principal object'the elimination of the problems heretofore describedv It is an object of the invention to provide a feeding means which is unaffected by the length or diameter of the reservoir, such that an uninterrupted flow of ink in the desired quantity is achieved.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a removable cartridge type reservoir which is convenient to use, self-sealing and permits the flow of ink in desired quantities.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings, illustrating one form of the invention, wherein like characters represent like parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partially in section, of one form of cartridge before it is used;

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in section, illustrating the 2,902,978 Patented Sept. 8, 1959 cartridge of Fig. l'positioned in a hooded nib type pen, in the non-writing position;

Fig. 3 illustrates the pen and cartridge of Fig. 2 in writing position;

Fig. 4 is a view, partially in section, illustrating the cartridge of Fig. 3 after removal from the pen;

Fig. 5 is an exploded fragmentary perspective, in section, of a modified form of cartridge before use;

Fig. 6 is a view, partially in section illustrating the cartridge of Fig. 5 positioned within a pen; and

Fig. 7 is a view, partially in section illustrating the cartridge of Fig. 5 after withdrawal from a'pen.

Basically the invention comprises providing, within the reservoir of a pen, a mass, such as a ball or pellet, having a substantially greater density than the ink. The mass, which is freely displaceable throughout the reservoir acts to break the meniscus of the ink thereby can-r celling the surface tension phenomena tending to afiect the flow of ink and air. 7

Referring to the drawings, and Figs. 1 to 4 in particular, a preferred embodiment of the inventionis illustrated. A cartridge type-reservoir, generally illustrated by' the numeral 10, comprises a hollow cylindrical body 11, of polyethylene or other material. Walls 12 and 13 define the ends of body 11 and provide between them an enclosure or chamber 14 adapted to house ink 15. Extending from wall 13 and in axial alignment with body 11 is a cylindrical projection 16 which is provided with a threaded outer surface 17.. An axial bore 18' extends through projection '16 providing a passagewayfor the escape of ink from the chamber 14.

As shovvn in Fig. 1, a ball 19 of lead, or other material having a greater density than ink, is frictionally'retained within the passageway 18. The ball serves to seal the cartridge 10 against the leakage of ink 15, from the chamber 14, before the cartridge has been associated with a pen.

The cartridge 10 is-removably associable with a pen such as that illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The pen may comprise a barrel having an end portion 29, an intermediate portion 21 and a hooded tip portion 22. The portions 20, 21 and 22 are retained with respect to one another by means of threaded couplings, indicated by the numeral 23, and provide between them a casing for cartridge 19. The hooded tip portion 22 houses a nib 24, a feeder 25 and a conductor 26 constructed in the form of a grooved rod as shown in Fig. 3. i The intermediate portion 21 is provided with a threaded bore 17', adapted to engage threads 17 of cartridge 10.

After removing end portion 20 from the pen, the cartridge 10 is inserted into intermediate portion 21, with projection 16 directed toward hooded tip portion 22, such that the threads 17 of the projection engage 'With threads 17 of portion 21. As cartridge 10 is seated within intermediate portion 21, the conductor'26, which is included in hooded tip 22, is projected through bore 18 of projection 16 such that ball 19 is forced out of the bore into chamber 14. On replacing end portion 20, the pen is ready for use.

Fig. 3 illustrates the cartridge loaded pen in Writing position. As can be seen, the ball 19 is prevented from closing bore 18 by means of conductor 26, which extends into chamber 14. The ink 15, is, thereby, permitted to flow into bore 18 around the conductor, and thence to the feeder 25. This How will continue so long as surface tension and capillary action do not counter the force of gravity. If the gravitational pull on the ink is nullified the pen will cease to function smoothly.

In normal use a pen is continuously moved from Writing position (Fig. 3) to a pause position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Such a change in position, or in fact, any change in position wherein the point of the pen is raised 3 above the horizontal, will cause ball 19 to move toward end 12 of the cartridge. This movement, of ball 19, within chamber 14 will agitate the ink and result in breaking up any menisci the ball traverses. When the pen is again returned to the writing position the ink will once again flow smoothly, under the force of gravity.

The cartridge, as above described, may readily be removed from the pen without fear of leakage. On disengaging threads 17 of projection 16 from threads 17 of portion 21, the conductor 26 is withdrawn from bore 18, permitting ball 19 to close that bore and thus prevent the flow of ink therefrom. In this manner, cartridge may be removed from the pen.

Figs. 5 to 7 illustrate a modified form of cartridge, which is adapted for use in a fountain pen having removable cartridge ink-feeding means for supplyingink to the pen fitted with a writing tip and a barrel for housing said cartridge ink-feeding means. The modified cartridge, which is generally indicated by the numeral 28, comprises an elongated hollow cylindrical body 29, of plastic or other inexpensive disposable material. Walls 30 and 30' define the ends of body 29, and partition 31, which is secured within body 29, substantially equidistant from the ends thereof, defines the bottom of chambers 32 and 32'.

Cylindrical projections 33 and 33' form part of Walls 30.42%

and 30 and are continued by reduced cylindrical portions 34 and 34 respectively. Bores 35 and 35' which are continued by bores 36 and 36, of reduced diameter, provide passageways for the flow of ink from chambers 32 and 32, through the projections.

As shown in Fig. 5, balls 37 and 37 of the type heretofore described, are retained in bores 35 and 35 by friction. In this position, the balls function as seals, preventing the leakage of ink from the cartridge before it has been associated with a pen.

The cartridge 28 is associated with a pen in much the :same manner as previously described. However in this embodiment a telescoping relation exists between the cartridge projection and the pen, rather than the threaded connection of Figs. 2 and 3. On inserting the cartridge .into the pen, the conductor 26 extends through bores 36 :and 35, driving ball 37 into chamber 32, and permitting the ink to flow from the chamber, to the feeder and nib :24 of the pen.

It should here be mentioned that chambers 32 and 32 may hold ink having different characteristics, and may be used alternately, as desired. It is only necessary to remove the cartridge from the pen and insert the opposite end into association with the conductor 26 in order to change from one chamber to another. The unused chamher is fitted in the pen housing and prevented from leaking in event of accidental dislodgement of ball 37 by means of inner end wall 38 of the pen, which covers and seals bore 36 or 36'.

The removal of the cartridge 28 from the pen, in order to change chambers or cartridges, is facilitated by balls 37 and 37. The ball in the lower chambers moves part way into bore 35, sealing it against leakage (Fig. 7).

The modified form of cartridge, as shown in Figs. 5

4 to 7, functions with respect to relieving surface tension and capillarity in the same manner as the preferred form, earlier described. The ball 37 agitates the ink as it moves around within chamber 32.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as aforenoted are achieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

I. In a fountain pen having a Writing tip, a. feed bar feeding ink to said writing tip and a barrel for supporting said Writing tip and feed bar, that improvement comprising, in combination, a cartridge enclosing an ink chamber containing ink which is mounted within said barrel; a column of liquid ink occupying a portion of said chamber cooperable with Walls of said chamber to provide capillarity and surface tension tending to counteract the eifect of gravity on said column; one end of said cartridge fitted with an axially projecting bore into which an end of said feed bar projects, a ball formed of a material having a specific gravity substantially greater than the ink in said ink chamber, the diameter of said ball being slightly greater than the diameter of said bore and said ball being initially snugly fitted within said bore to seal ink in said chamber from said bore,

the end of said feed bar which projects into said bore being adapted to extend into said ink chamber and thereby displace said ball from said bore into said chamber for free movement therein in response to protrusion of said feed bar into said bore and said ball being thereby freely movable in said chamber under the influence of gravity whereby-on varying the inclination of the pen below and above the horizontal-the free and rapid displacement of said ball substantially relieves said capillarity and surface tension by agitating the liquid ink'to render the latter substantially freely flowable from said pen.

2. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cartridge is provided with a dividing wall forming two ink chambers and said cartridge is fitted with projecting bores at opposite ends thereof whereby one chamber is fitted to the feed bar at the projecting bore thereof and the other projecting bore-of the remote chamber is abutted against the inner end wall of the barrel which houses said cartridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

